Atlanta golf

[JStewart]

I tried looking up some past threads on Atlanta golf and they seemed pretty old. I will be in ATL on the last day of February. Is there a public course close to the city worth playing? Or any privates that may be accessible that time of year?

[Tom_Doak]

I have still not been there but if I had one free day in Atlanta I would go and see Rivermont.  Everything I've seen of it looks like a contrast to the straightforward "championship" designs that dominate the metro area.

[David Harshbarger]

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,54951.0.html


Rivermont from the archives. 

[Jerry Kluger]

Cuscowilla is a Coore /Crenshaw course - it says it is a residential course so I don't know about access but I think it may just be a phone call.

[Mark Pritchett]

Cuscowilla is a Coore /Crenshaw course - it says it is a residential course so I don't know about access but I think it may just be a phone call.

Additionally Cuscowilla is not in Atlanta.

[Kalen Braley]

Cuscowilla is a Coore /Crenshaw course - it says it is a residential course so I don't know about access but I think it may just be a phone call.

Additionally Cuscowilla is not in Atlanta.

Mark,


Fair enough.  But time wise that's basically the same as being in San Jose CA and declaring Monterey as out! 

[Joe Hellrung]

Hi J,


I'm a member of Atlanta National.  If you would like to play it then I'd be happy to host you.  Many on this board don't think highly of the course, but I enjoy it very much.  I have played Rivermont and I think highly of it.  They also just re-did the Bobby Jones course (public, central atlanta) into a reversible 9 hole layout, and I enjoyed it very much in both directions. 

[BCrosby]

I second Tom's Rivermont recommendation above. An interesting, and sometimes edgy course. Chris Cupit has done a wonderful job there. About 20 miles north of Atlanta.


Mike Young's Wolf Creek is worth a visit. Much under-appreciated. Close to the airport and good fun.


The new reversible Bobby Jones course and practice range are a vast improvement from the faciltity. In Buckhead and easy to get to. It has benefited greatly from a course redo, new clubhouse, and parking decks. All made easier by a $25MM investment from the Jones Family Trust and others.  


Finally, for you golf architecture nostalgia buffs (as Jeff Brauer puts it condescendingly), there is Chastain Park, a/k/a North Fulton. A Chandler Egan 1934 design largely unchanged but sometimes in rough shape.


All are (more or less) in-town courses. Lots of options farther out.


Bob

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[Edward Glidewell]

There are really aren't any public golf courses in Atlanta itself that are worth making an effort to play.


I know some people here like Chastain Park, but I can't understand why. It has some bizarre holes, poor conditioning, and some of the slowest rounds you'll find anywhere. The last time I tried to play there we quit after 9 holes because it took 3 hours -- and that was in the middle of the day on a Wednesday! It's much, much worse on weekends; I've seen 5 or 6 groups backed up waiting to tee off on the first hole.


Wolf Creek is fine, but there's nothing memorable about it. That's not intended as an insult -- just that you shouldn't expect much more than average to slightly above average golf. I've also heard about issues with car break-ins in the parking lot there, but I don't know how current that is.


The reversible Bobby Jones is probably the best option, but I don't love it either.


The "best" public courses are roughly 45 minutes (or longer) outside the city, but none of them are great either.


If you can get access to a course like Rivermont, I'm sure that's a much better option even though I've never played there myself.

[Chris Cupit]

I'd be happy to have you come play.  The main Club number is 770-993-2124 and I am one of the extensions (I forget but I think it is the * key to get to me).  If for some reason that doesn't work you can send me a PM and I will be happy to set it up for you to play--not exactly the best time of year for ATL but we can catch a decent winter day every now and again 


Thanks for all the nice mentions and I also agree that Mike's course near the airport is fun and very convenient to the airport.  Cuscowilla is very nice and one of my favorites in the state but it is 90 minutes east of Atlanta.  The new redo at Bobby Jones is a vast improvement and the range is very good.


Frankly, a lot of courses (even privates) in Atlanta will be very slow and I would suspect you could play most any of them with a nice call (except for the four or five "elites":  Peachtree, Atlanta CC, Piedmont, Cherokee...)


I had not seen the old Rivermont archives--fun to look back.  We have made many significant changes since then and I hope people will think they are all improvements.  More extensive tree removal, additional tees (forward and back) and some new bunkers.  And a new entrance sign 

[Joe Hellrung]

Chris,


From what I saw of your club years ago when I played it, please don't ever change (at least not too much  [size=78%]).  [/size]


I would have applied for membership in a heartbeat were Atlanta traffic not so awful on 400. 

[Tommy Williamsen]

Woodmore, north of the city is a nice option. It is semi-private. Druid Hills is a nice private that flies under the radar. I’m not sure about access though.

[Ryan Hillenbrand]

I believe Erik Anders Lang did a piece recently on Rivermont and how sustainable it is. Course looked great. Made me want to get there.

[Ben Hollerbach]

I know some people here like Chastain Park, but I can't understand why. It has some bizarre holes, poor conditioning, and some of the slowest rounds you'll find anywhere. The last time I tried to play there we quit after 9 holes because it took 3 hours -- and that was in the middle of the day on a Wednesday! It's much, much worse on weekends; I've seen 5 or 6 groups backed up waiting to tee off on the first hole.

I don't mean to hijack this thread but I'm curious the last time you've played Chastain? I played it 5 or 6 times last summer on Saturday and Sundays and never once had a round go longer than 4 hours. I'd also say the conditioning has greatly improved since the city took over management, which has been a huge and pleasant surprise.

[Mark Pritchett]

I would highly recommenced you take up the Rivermont offer as it is a blast to play and as a bonus also a pretty good example of club management.

[Edward Glidewell]

I don't mean to hijack this thread but I'm curious the last time you've played Chastain? I played it 5 or 6 times last summer on Saturday and Sundays and never once had a round go longer than 4 hours. I'd also say the conditioning has greatly improved since the city took over management, which has been a huge and pleasant surprise.

I think it was two years ago. Regardless, even if the conditioning and pace of play has improved (the conditioning wasn't bad when I played; just the pace of play), I'm not a fan of the golf course -- I don't remember it especially well (only played there 3 or 4 times in 10 years), but I do remember really disliking several holes.

[Mike Hendren]

Rarely see Stone Mountain mentioned. Original 18 was RTJ I think and I enjoyed it back in the late 70’s.


Mike

[Daryl "Turboe" Boe]

I agree with all of the comments that Rivermont would be the most enjoyable/best option of the ones mentioned here as being accessible.  The one I believe Tom W. was meaning above is Woodmont GC which is semi-private right now and is a pretty good course, normally in very good conditions.


Good luck.

[Tommy Williamsen]

I agree with all of the comments that Rivermont would be the most enjoyable/best option of the ones mentioned here as being accessible.  The one I believe Tom W. was meaning above is Woodmont GC which is semi-private right now and is a pretty good course, normally in very good conditions.


Good luck.

Thanks, Daryl. Yes Woodmont. Woodmore is the club I was a member of in DC.

[Edward Glidewell]

Rarely see Stone Mountain mentioned. Original 18 was RTJ I think and I enjoyed it back in the late 70’s.


Mike

The last time I was out at Stone Mountain the conditions were horrendous. As in, it looked as though they'd quit even trying to maintain the course horrendous. The greens had some areas that looked like they hadn't been mowed in weeks and other areas that were just dirt. That was a few years ago, so it could have improved, but I never hear anyone talking about it.


It's also not the easiest place to get to from the city.